Bully Ray and Tommy Dreamer shared their perspectives on Jack Perry’s potential booking and AEW’s course of action after the broadcast of All In 2022 footage.
Dreamer, speaking on “Busted Open,” acknowledged the character development benefit for AEW stars due to the footage but expressed concerns about CM Punk’s influence on future storylines involving Perry.
“Character-wise, it worked for The Bucks. Jack Perry sold out all his t-shirts after it aired, and he had a lot of heat in his match
and I watched that match, and there were moments where I was like, ‘Man!’ Especially when he went to the Go to Sleep, and took his time, and when the guy reversed it, I was like, ‘That’s great,'” Dreamer remarked.
“So you never know — so there is your positive spin from me. That’s … character-wise, I think that worked. Pay off-wise, because Punk doesn’t work there, how do you put that? Do you put it on the company, do you put it on someone?
They’re gonna go for heat,” Dreamer continued. “If, for the rest of his life, Jack Perry goes out there and they chant ‘CM Punk.’ That’s not going to be the best option for Jack. So, you have to try and spin it to get him over more.”
The Young Bucks revealed the highly-anticipated backstage altercation footage on the April 10 episode of “AEW Dynamite,” establishing a storyline connection between Perry and themselves.
Perry reinforced this connection at AEW Dynasty by intervening in the ladder match for the vacant AEW Tag Team Championships.
Bully Ray expressed uncertainty about a heel run for Jack Perry and suggested a narrative where Perry emerges as a virtuous vigilante.
“I would’ve thought because CM Punk put his hands on Jungle Boy first, that gave Jungle Boy a reason to be the babyface in this whole situation,” Ray observed.
“And Jungle Boy could come out and say, ‘Yeah, Punk approached me, we were having a conversation. I might have said something that the veteran didn’t like; I wasn’t trying to be intentionally disrespectful, but then he pushed me.
I had no recourse — I had to try and fight back. I had to try and do something. And the reason I tried to do something, at the end of the day, is because I really love AEW, and I appreciate this company, and Tony has given me a chance.'”
Ray argued that portraying Perry as a babyface defending AEW would be a favorable direction for him.
“Go over, over the top babyface with this,” Ray recommended.
“Now you got something. The kid defended the company. You gonna make him a heel? First thing I wanna chant at him is ‘CM Punk.'”
After being absent from AEW programming since last year’s All In, Perry had an NJPW stint under the moniker “Scapegoat.” Now back in AEW, Perry’s next moves — and AEW’s — are closely watched by the wrestling world.
